Range anxiety – why it’s nothing to worry about
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Swap range anxiety for range confidence
Range anxiety. You’ve probably heard people talking about it. Often, it’s people who don’t own EVs or who are new to the EV world who are most concerned about the possibility of running out of charge.
Of course, EV drivers may have a moment on a long journey when they feel their charge level is running low and have to focus on where they will go for the charge-up they need. But for the great majority of EV driving time, it’s not a problem. All it takes is a little forward-thinking and some sensible driving habits.
Most journeys are short journeys
We might associate range anxiety with long journeys – but do you how few journeys are actually long? Research by the UK Government indicates that 99% of car journeys in England are under 100 miles. Typically, modern EVs have a range of more than that on a full charge (some, including the UK’s top sellers, have ranges of 200 or even 300 miles), so for most people, it’s only rarely that they will need to recharge midway to their destination.
Why might running out of charge happen?
Clearly, running out of charge is unlikely. But it’s helpful to be aware of how it could happen.
Misjudgement of range
Sometimes, a driver might misjudge how far their car can go. So, it pays to be familiar with the real world range of your vehicle. Most EVs will show estimated range on the dashboard, which will give you an indication of how far you have left on your charge. Remember that this is an approximation. Lots of factors can affect real range – the driving conditions, how hard you accelerate, hilly terrain, bad weather, and if you’re carrying extra weight or towing a caravan.
If you underestimate the distance you can travel on a single charge or don’t take into account factors that reduce range, you could run out of battery unexpectedly - just as you might in a car that runs on fuel.
Not planning charging breaks
When you set off on a longer EV journey it's a good idea to plan where you might charge and how often you might need to stop.
The bp pulse app can be helpful and reassuring here, because you can use it to look for charging points before setting off on your journey.
